"Age: While the Board considered that the Ministry of Defence had done all that was required of it to cater for the increasing age of the Nimrod, the Board was unable to discount the age of the seals as a possible cause of the increase in leaks from fuel couplings and of the condition of the hot air pipes’ insulation. The Board acknowledged, however, that other factors might have been responsible for their condition."

Translation: while we can't 100% prove that age was the main cause of the crash, we certainly think it was; we're only putting in all the other stuff because you've pressured us into doing so.

Browne's weasely response? Sorry for the deaths, and I'll appoint a QC to run an enquiry. Meanwhile, keep flying.

Not in our name mate. We feel ashamed we're still asking our servicemen to risk their lives in these things. The Nimrods should be grounded and we should buy a bunch of American spy drones soonest. Longer term ee should scrap the disastrous MRA4 and buy another off the shelf American job (see this blog).

And if that means we have to pull back from some operations, then so be it.

BOM the book now available

Drawing on six years of blogging government waste, this book shows how we spend far more than we need on our public services. It sets out the facts and explores the underlying issues. Just why does government spend so much and deliver such second rate service? Why do we put up with it? And what are the alternatives?

ABOUT BOM

Despite all the talk of cuts, government still consumes nearly half our national income. Yet many tens of billions of its spending is wasted, with taxpayers made to pick up the tab for a depressing array of overpriced sub-standard services. This is money we can no longer afford, and our National Debt is already at danger level.

If we're to avoid further decades of stagnation and austerity we urgently need to find another way. Exposing and understanding the wastefulness of government is a necessary step in the right direction.